Feeling so discouraged

[tkwyant 5]

Well, I'm new here so I'm looking thru posts trying to find some answers to questions. I'm considering having the sleeve procedure done, so I go to heart doctor yesterday and he is very much against this. He said I will have chronic diarrhea, Vitamin deficiencys, ect...u see I weigh 215, and am 5'7,,,,but I have diabetes, heart disease sleep apnea.... And he said that because I don't need to loose that much that I most likely won't loose with sleeve.... He also said that even if I loose the weight, I'll just gain it back.... And I'm scared.... I watched my mother die, all because of diabetes... When she passed she was in heart failure, kidney failure, copd, she was blind, had neuropathy, and she died at the early age of 60....I don't want to die that way and I had thought that getting the sleeve could literally save my life, but after talking to heart doctor I am now depressed thinking I have no hope, is there anyone out there that can tell me what step to take next, the surgeon is fixing to setup a consultation... But I am very Leary to even go because of what my heart said

[tkwyant 5]

Oh and a little history 2 years ago during a routine heart Cath a blood clot turned loose and hit my heart and literally died on the table,,,, and I know if I don't do something I won't be around long term... And I'm raising my 2 grandchildren who are 5 and 7....and they need me... Cause they have no one else

[Kamp86 44]

in my opinion you should see a different heart doctor because it sounds like he is just against weight loss surgery. that stuff about chronic diarrhea, Vitamin deficiency can all be prevented if you follow what your surgeon and doctors tell you you will be fine. i had my surgery july 8th and i would never go back and change my decision it has been the best thing to happen for me.

[Comeflywithme 402]

Agree 100% with Kamp above. CHANGE YOUR DOCTOR! WLS will cure ALL of your symptoms/ailness above mentioned. What's wrong with him?? Ugh. Don't get discouraged, go see another doctor, stay positive and go ahead with your WLS for your health! Good Luck!

[Dr-Patient 830]

Uh...I'd see another doctor. Stat. He is obviously ignorant about the medical benefits of wls; and the sleeve is the least dramatic of them all, with no re-routing, no foreign bodies in your body, etc.

By the raw numbers, you don't have a lot of weight to lose, but of the conditions you have, losing weight will help with the DM, the sleep apnea, etc. [Do you mind stating your age?]

Ask your bariatric surgeon what cardiologist does he know/respect/work with and go see that person.

PS: I have others, but here...links I received this week from ASMBS about wls and health benefits. Scroll:

http://connect.asmbs.org/stories-of-the-week-10-13-14.html

Edited October 15, 2014 by Dr-Patient

[shellyd88 463]

I also agree I think this dr is against WLS u will probly need a clearance from him for surgery and the surgeon may require more testing so it's not completely dependent on his say so u have a reg dr? I too had a mom with very similar circumstances to yours she died at 56 yrs old and I don't want to end up that way which is why I'm doing this u will take Vitamins for life we all will that's not a big deal there will an adjustment period where u need to learn what u can tolerate Everyone will go thru this u can and will loose weight with a sleeve he isn't current with his info on that look up articles and bring him the research better yet get a new heart dr best of luck to u

[jessiquoi 623]

i agree your doctor sounds unduly prejudiced.

i just want to make sure you have your facts straight... do you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes? Type 2 can be put into remission with WLS, but Type 1 is forever.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

There are negative sides of WLS, but at somepoint, saving your life becomes more important.

i don't have chronic diarea, but i am more prone to it than I used to be. Does not interfere with life though.

I do take Vitamins.

I have been maintaining a massive weight loss since Feb 2013 and continue to have to "work at it" or i will regain.

I think you would be better served with a doc with amore "balanced view" of pros and cons.

[tkwyant 5]

Type 2 diabetes and I'm 47

[tkwyant 5]

And thanks everyone u just confirmed my suspicions about this just one more thing do y'all have chronic diarrhea

[tkwyant 5]

Gosh I hate asking that it's so private but is important for me to understand what will happen

[sweetcheeks709 38]

If/when you have the surgery you may not even need to go see the heart doc anymore, and maybe that's why he's so against it, he doesn't want to lose patients! Probably the same with diabetes doctors and the like. My surgery is on Monday, so I can't give you my two cents about the bowel issues but there is something called dumping- when you eat something that has too much sugar or fat or you ate too fast, you can have issues. I suggest you look up dumping syndrome. I've seen a lot of people on here say they sleevers don't get dumping, but the nutritionist I have to see says that's not true, it's just usually not severe as if you had a bypass surgery. My advice is to research, research, research. Good luck with whatever you decide to do

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

No

More prone to diarrea now - but not chronic.

And thanks everyone u just confirmed my suspicions about this just one more thing do y'all have chronic diarrhea

[katesuccess 990]

I've been sleeved since April 2014 and have lost 73 lbs since my surgery date, and NO diarhea. Not at all. In fact I need to take Fiber if i want to ensure regularity.

As for a doc like yours who sounds somewhat behind the times in his research, definitely get another option, or you could be back in a few years with worse complications and having gained more weight (mine crept up year after year anyway). It might be that your excess weight isn't high enough for this (not sure your height or BMI or anything), but it'd be far better to know and be advised by someone who's more up to date on the real life of WLS patients than one who's sounding somewhat reactive from old hype. So glad you're looking at options for a healthier life though!

[BeagleLover 1,020]

I was sleeved Sept. 26th. I don't have chronic diarrhea. I did have Type 2 diabetes (for 4 years), sleep apnea and non-alcoholic fatty liver. My diabetes was gone in 2 days (my doctor estimated 3 - 4 days). The sleep apnea and fatty liver will take 3 - 4 months to go away. The diabetes being gone takes a big load off my shoulders!